Philosophy

PhilosophyPhilosophy 160
Essay Exam 1
Answer all the following questions in three pages. Use 11-point Times New Roman font with
double-spacing and 1-inch margins. Do not include the questions, an introduction, or any other
information that is not relevant. Just include your answers. These must be completed by 10:00
pm on Saturday, June 13th. Submit them into the section titled “Essay Exam Submissions” in
Blackboard. Points will be deducted for late exams. You must produce your own work (you
may not copy from other students in current or previous seconds of this course).
1. Consider the following passage.
“I have heard some people say that it is the will of God that makes an action right or wrong, and
nothing else. These Theological Voluntarists argue that murder is wrong because God willed it
to be wrong and for no other reason. But this is not correct. Murder is wrong because it harms
the associates of the victim and robs the victim of a valuable future. This would make murder
wrong regardless of what God said about it. If Theological Voluntarism is true, then murder is
only wrong because God willed it to be. But murder is wrong because of the harm it causes.
Therefore, Theological Voluntarism is false.
This passage contains a two-premise argument against Theological Voluntarism.
Extract this argument from the text; write it down.
● Next, explain your extraction, going line-by-line. Write a short paragraph providing the
rationale for each of the two premises. That is, state why the author of the argument
believes that each of his or her premises are true. (If you don’t think that they are true,
save that for later; for now, just explain why the author – or anyone, for that matter –
might jusably believe the premises.) Focus on each line, one at a me, and state how
the author would back up that line, all by itself. Do not get into the rationale for line 2
when discussing line 1, or vice versa.
● Next, evaluate each line of your extraction . State whether you believe it is true or false
and why. (Do not feel under pressure to agree or disagree with the premises; just state
your real opinion.) Go line-by-line.
● Next, evaluate the argument as a whole. Is it valid? Is it factually correct? Is it sound?
2. Evaluate the argument in favor of cultural relativism below
P1. If a theory implies that we should be tolerant of other cultures, then it is a
good moral theory
P2. Cultural relativism implies that we should be tolerant of other cultures
C. Therefore, Cultural Relativism is a good moral theory
Be sure to indicate which premises you believe are true or false. Explain why you think they are
true or false. Finally, indicate if the argument is in a valid form, if it is factually correct, and if it is
sound.
3. Evaluate the argument against cultural relativism below
P1. If cultural relativism is true, then it never counts as moral progress when a
society changes its moral code.
P2. But sometimes, when a society’s moral code changes, progress is made
C. Therefore, cultural relativism is false
In your evaluation, be sure to give some rationalizations for each premise. Explain why
someone might believe these premises to be true. As well, indicate which premises you find
true, and why, and then whether it is valid, factually correct, and sound.